DIETHYLCARBAMAZINE-INDUCED REVERSAL OF EARLY LYMPHATIC DYSFUNCTION INA PATIENT WITH BANCROFTIAN FILARIASIS - ASSESSMENT WITH USE OF LYMPHOSCINTIGRAPHY

Exposure of expatriates to the infective larvae of Wuchereria bancroft i can result in the early development of signs of lymphatic obstructio n, The findings on the clinical presentation of expatriates are distin ct from the chronic pathological findings seen among the native popula tion and are similar to the findings in experimentally infected person s. We report the case of a Peace Corps volunteer who developed acute l ymphatic dysfunction within 3 months of arriving in an area that was e ndemic for filariasis, The diagnosis was established clinically and by demonstrating the presence of antibodies to recombinant proteins spec ific for patients with lymphatic filariasis, Lymphatic flow was marked ly abnormal when assessed with use of Tc-99m-lymphoscintigraphy. Treat ment with diethylcarbamazine reversed both the physical and lymphoscin tigraphic abnormalities.